Inter coach Luciano Spalletti believes the possession battle will prove the deciding factor in the Nerazzurri’s clash with Barcelona in the Champion League on Wednesday.
The two sides top Group B with six points from two matches, and both know that another victory would take them one step closer to a place in the knockout rounds.
Barcelona are favourites heading into the encounter, but Spalletti believes his man stand a chance if they can win the possession battle.
“They don’t chase the ball,” he told reporters at his pre-match press conference. “They have the quality to find other options against any side.
“We must keep more of the possession, that is our only chance.
“With Leo [Messi] it would have been an even stronger Barcelona. He is a different player. He’s someone that when you think you’ve seen it all, he comes and shows you something different.
“However, they have quality alternatives.”
Radja Nainggolan is out after spraining his ankle against AC Milan, but Spalletti made it clear his starting XI would have changed regardless.
“I would have changed things regardless, but I want to see how the players that featured in the Derby are,” he added.
“We’ll see how [Marcelo] Brozovic is, as he is carrying a knock, whole [Ivan] Perisic looks to have shaken off his injury.”
Source: forzaitalianfootball.com